Some of the most interested followers of the Chicago Blackhawks’ regulation win streak is the team many have picked to win the Eastern Conference.

The first ever Chicago- Boston Stanley Cup final is only bar-room chatter right now — albeit a topic that must have U.S. TV networks salivating. But halfway through this clipped season, the Original Six match-up is quite plausible.

The Blackhawks (21-0-3) don’t expect to get through every 60 minutes this year either ahead or tied, but they’re just 10 points away from what most believe to be a safe playoff spot. Finishing that far in first would give them time to rest key players and home-ice advantage all the way through.

After another improbable win on Wednesday, trailing part of their fifth game in seven days, Jonathan Toews scored short-handed and Daniel Carcillo’s first of the year rescued a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

“Most people will think we pulled that game out of you-know-where,” Toews said. “But we’re working at it. If you don’t think you’re going to win, there’s no point going out there.”

Boston, meanwhile, began Thursday in fourth place in the conference and on a two-game losing streak, the latter enough cause for concern in the dressing room and among the local media. But the Bruins maintain games in hand on the entire league and trailed Montreal by just a point for first in the East. Boston’s record of 14-5-4 prior to facing the Leafs included 46 goals against, as few as the Hawks had allowed in three less games.

Prior to Los Angeles winning the Cup last year, the Hawks and Bruins won in 2010 and ’11 respectively and each has motivation to get back while the window is still open and their nucleus is strong. Yet both realize what the Kings (12-7-2 so far) are now finding out: There’s a reason no team has repeated since the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings, a feat even harder in today’s salary cap era.

“It’s a hard thing to do,” said Bruins veteran Jay Pandolfo, who tried twice with the New Jersey Devils earlier in his career. “The season alone is a grind and then there’s a playoff run. It shows how hard it is to come back. Having a year or two in between where you try and regain that momentum (is a hard lesson). You know what it takes to win, for sure, but you realize you have to have a lot of things go your way and you have to remember what got you there.”

The Hawks need only get through 48 games to set the table, not 82. Their magic can’t possibly last into April, May and June, but thank heavens the NHL has a story it can pump after months of lockout drivel. Strombone1, the Twitter handle associated with Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, playfully posted the intro to Chelsea Dagger, the Blackhawks’ goal song, right after they beat the Avs. Even LeBron James has weighed in.

“That shows they’re getting some recognition around the sports world, when you have King James talking about them,” said Boston winger Milan Lucic.

“It’s impressive. I watched last night’s Chicago game and they always seem to find a way. Honestly, with three minutes left, I just knew they’d score that winning goal. I also watched some of the Detroit game on Sunday, classic Wings-Hawks, two really skilled teams going up and down. But once again, Chicago gets that good bounce when the Wings shot it over the glass. They just keep chippin’ away.

“And they talk about having a lot of contributions from everybody, from the goaltending out. That’s pretty evident when you see a guy such as Carcillo step up. To put a streak like that together, obviously you need your best players to be your best. But you need guys like Carcillo and Bryan Bickell to make big plays. I know a lot of people are having fun watching their run this year.”

And the Bruins, along with every other Eastern team, would have loved to test themselves against the Hawks in the regular season.

“It would be great,” Pandolfo said. “I’m sure every team they do play is finding it pretty easy to get up for a game against them and end that streak. This is an interesting season where there are only 48 games and it doesn’t seem like they’re going to lose. It’s too bad teams in the East don’t get a crack at them. But their streak is still impressive either way.”

Blackhawks and Bruins would be dream Stanley Cup final

Some of the most interested followers of the Chicago Blackhawks’ regulation win streak is the team many have picked to win the Eastern Conference.

The first ever Chicago- Boston Stanley Cup final is only bar-room chatter right now — albeit a topic that must have U.S. TV networks salivating. But halfway through this clipped season, the Original Six match-up is quite plausible.

The Blackhawks (21-0-3) don’t expect to get through every 60 minutes this year either ahead or tied, but they’re just 10 points away from what most believe to be a safe playoff spot. Finishing that far in first would give them time to rest key players and home-ice advantage all the way through.

After another improbable win on Wednesday, trailing part of their fifth game in seven days, Jonathan Toews scored short-handed and Daniel Carcillo’s first of the year rescued a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche.

“Most people will think we pulled that game out of you-know-where,” Toews said.